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Everyone loves holidays. But you know what we love even more than holidays? Holiday weekends.

There’s nothing like taking a day that celebrates/commemorates something (insert the holiday of your choice here) and stretching it out to three, if said holiday falls on a Monday or Friday.

Heck, we’ll stretch weekends out to four full days if a holiday lands on a Tuesday or Thursday.

But what if the holiday falls smack dab in the middle of the week? Oh, dear.

And that’s the dilemma that our great nation now faces. On which weekend should we celebrate the Fourth of July ?

This year, the Fourth falls on a Hump Day.

  • So, do we celebrate this weekend, go back to work Monday and Tuesday, then light our fireworks Wednesday? Let’s call this Option No. 1.
  • Or do we watch an Independence Day parade on Wednesday, go back to work Thursday and Friday, then resume our celebration of all things America Friday evening after work? This is Option No. 2.

Decisions, decisions.

Well, how are America’s great cities handling it?

St. Louis celebrates the Fourth with something called Fair St. Louis, billed as “America’s biggest birthday party.” Well, the folks who run that ought to have some clue of what to do.

Fair St. Louis is going with Option No. 2, celebrating on Wednesday, July 4, taking a break on Thursday, and then restarting the red, white and blue party on Friday, July 6, and Saturday July 7. Works for us.

Philadelphia — another great authority on the subject, since it’s America’s birthplace — is going with Option No. 1.

This weekend in Philly you can enjoy the Delaware Music Festival, meet Thomas Jefferson (a re-enactor, not the real thing) at the Museum of the American Revolution or listen to a concert from the United States Army Band. After toiling away in your cubicle on Monday and Tuesday, head back out Wednesday for the parades and fireworks.

So, which weekend should you pick to celebrate the holiday?

We say go with Option No. 3 — don’t choose at all.

Declare it Independence Week and cheer the nation’s founding for, like, 10 days in a row.